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From: Lukman Olabiyi
No less than 1,000 legal practitioners, including over 100 law firms, are expected to grace this year’s ‘ESQ Nigerian Legal Awards’ that will hold in Lagos, on November 12, the organiser has disclosed.
Awards convener and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Legal Blitz Ltd, publisher of ESQ Legal Practice magazine, Lere Fashola, said this year’s edition which will be the fifth, will stand out with the introduction of several innovative features.
Among the new features includes a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) category which celebrates their contributions to the growth and development of the legal profession.
“This SANs category is based on an online poll conducted on the various social media platforms.
“We have also received various submissions from the National Law Student’s Essay Competition where law students across the various Faculties of Law all over the country were asked to write a 500 word essay on the SAN who inspire them to greatness”, he said
The top three essay writers will get scholarships to attend ESQ legal trainings, cash prizes among others.
Fashola explained that the event, billed for November 12 at the Landmark Event Centre, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos, will be preceded on November 10 by the Judges Conference hosted by the African Finance Corporation (AFC).
The panel of judges comprises “Heads of African Practice Groups at United Kingdom-based law firms, CEOs, founding partners of national and multinational institutions, senior Nigerian lawyers, international consultants,” among others.
It will be led by AFC Executive Director and Legal Adviser, Dr. Adesegun Akin-Olugbade.
Fashola identified northern Nigeria’s first lawyer, Alhaji AGF Abdulrazaq (SAN), former Chief Judge of Lagos State Justice Ayotunde Philips and Nigerian Bar Association President, A.B Mahmoud among others to be honoured.
“So far over 30 law firms have been shortlisted from among over 100 law firms that were earlier nominated for the award.
“Among top contenders for the awards are Aluko & Oyebode, Templars, Sefton Fross LP, Bloomfield LP, Udo Udoma and Belo Osagie, Ajumogobia and Okeke, Olisa Agbakoba & Co, SPA Ajibade, Jackson Etti and Edu, & Co,” he told The Nation.
Non-law firms in the race include MTN, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Total and Pandora.
According to him, top personalities expected to bag awards include Group CEO of United Capital Group, Mrs. Toyin Sanni; outgoing company secretary of First Bank Holdings, Alhaji Tijani Borodo; Okey Wali (SAN), George Etomi (SAN), among others.
Lere noted that the awards’ committee has re-introduced the corporate counsel category, which looked at the role of lawyers who were working internally in companies or organisations.
He said: “Traditionally, lawyers in legal departments have been seen as deals’ killers, but they are now very strategic and an important aspect of every organisation.
“We are looking at the role of these in-house lawyers in strengthening and promoting corporate governance and business development of organisations.”
